On the old days, everyone had to have proof for the IGI submissions. It also had to be submitted to an LDS Record Examiner for verification..What was said is in accurate. Nancy

-- wrote:
Hi folks,

People needed NO proof at all to submit entries to Ancestry File. It is extremely inaccurate. Should you try to get into a lineage society using it as a source, they'll reject you. It's a clue and nothing more and one that most American lineage societies, at least, know is not to be trusted.

However there ARE much more reliable records in LDS. Many of these are indexed in IGI. However you didn't need to submit any proof to submit to IGI either. Among the IGI records; however, are indexes to transcriptions of all surviving Scottish OPRs. If you don't know what OPR means -- you need to do some reading on Scottish genealogy, starting with downloading the free guide to Scottish research in LDS. Otherwise you are like a canoer up the creek with one paddle. You may think you are doing fine, but you are screwing up royally. (Usually though if your canoeing is not so hot.... you know it <grin>). So you always look at the SOURCE of IGI records.

There is much more to getting all you can out of the FHL and its indexes -- people write books, articles, and give courses on it, but this email is long enough.

However since all the surviving Scottish parish records are indexed in IGI, it is the place to start with Scottish parish records. They'll id the source microfilm. Order the microfilm and view the actual record. It may have a lot more information in it than the index.

Or you can pay money to join a website and view these indexes at a fee and even pay much more than $5 for the actual parish record. The Scots have proven that pne can sell free information to people.

The situation changes rapidly with what is free and what is not on the Internet. I have used for fee Scots sites frequently. Every time I do some searching to see what is about and what is available on line and for free. I do professional research. However many amateurs think they're doing great with research techniques that are ten or twenty years old when the whole situation may have changed for the better within even the last two months.

The use of Ancestry and IGI records without a respectable source is sure to leave you with erroneous lineages and no respect at all from even moderately trained researchers. The use of indexes to OPRs on the other hand, is very good methodology.

Our problems on this list are Ulster, in Ireland. That's a whole 'nother bag of connundrums as IGI has not contained indexes to many Irish church records. However just recently I found a whole slew of McCamishes in Clones that I did not know about at all because LDS indexed the microfilm of church records from the 1600s. So if you haven't rechecked IGI recently for Irish ancestors, you might be missing A LOT. Woe is he who never checks back.

People reading this who don't know what IGI, Ancestry File, etc are should either google or go to www.familyhistory.org and look for help. There are plenty of information ther explaining these terms. You need to learn how to learn and do research and this is a good exercise. A homework assignment <grin>!!

Linda Merle

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